Brad Keller had 15.00 ERA in 9 rehab games. The Royals have ‘returned’ him from assignment

The Kansas City Royals “returned” pitcher Brad Keller on Thursday after the conclusion of his 30-day rehab stint. He’s remaining on the injured list following the rehab assignment.

Keller previously landed on the 15-day injured list after sustaining a right shoulder injury in early May. The Royals will next announce how and when they are moving forward with Keller, who could return to the major-league roster when the club feels he is ready, among other options.

Keller missed 61 games with right shoulder impingement syndrome. The Royals sent him on a rehab assignment with their Triple-A affiliate, the Omaha Storm Chasers. Keller appeared in nine games and made two minor-league starts.

Per his MLB.com stats page, Keller allowed 15 earned runs with the Storm Chasers in nine innings. He walked 21 batters and struck out five. He gave up one hit, one run and walked three batters in one inning in his last outing.

The Royals reached a 30-day window to return Keller, as pitchers who land on the injured list can embark on a 30-day rehab assignment. Keller originally landed on the injured list due to discomfort in his shoulder.

“It’s in the back of my shoulder and it gets really pinchy, and I feel like maybe the impingement causes the weakness in it,” Keller told The Star earlier this season. “So it’s kind of like a little bit of both.”

This season, Keller has posted a 3-4 record with a 4.36 ERA at the MLB level. He has struggled with his command, issuing 40 walks in nine MLB starts.

Keller admitted that walks have hindered his success. He detailed specific ways he has worked to generate more command of his pitches.

“It’s kind of been my Achilles’ heel my whole career,” Keller said in May. “It’s always been tempo, direction and walks. It’s something I’ve got to continue to work on every start.”

The Royals have dealt with key injuries to starters. Daniel Lynch IV is also dealing with a shoulder injury. Meanwhile, KC starter Kris Bubic had Tommy John surgery and veterans Zack Greinke and Ryan Yarbrough just returned from recent stints on the injured list.

Once off the injured list, Keller will look to reclaim his starting role. The Royals are currently starting Greinke, Yarbrough, Jordan Lyles, Brady Singer and rookie Alec Marsh.

The Royals rank 28th among MLB teams with a 5.27 ERA. This season, KC has surrendered 559 runs and sits at 29-75 overall.